The Redeemed Storm
by Neversaid-I-Madesense
Summary: Karibua's smart mind has always caused more harm than good. He's played various hidden roles in the background of the Pridelands; both good and bad. Now... the story of the King of the Redeemed is told. BEING REVAMPED.
1. Intro: Present

Smart Minds

Written by:

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CelestialStorywriter

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**_Introduction: The Present_**

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It's five hundred years after humans were wiped out by an incurable disease,

There are barely any left at all, maybe under a hundred survivors.

Leaving all the world to the animals.

But there is still evidence of human contact on the very fur of most animals,

Now they can be green, blue, purple, red, any color combination at all.

You can thank scientists for that.

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Subconsciously flicking away a fly with my tail, I sat regally upon my boulder, surveying my territory surrounding my Pride and I. _What a lovely day…_ I muse idly to myself, giving a huge yawn that show off my fangs, which glint in the hot summer Sun's rays. Beneath me, I hear one of my three cubs yawn as well. Barely. My cubs are so young that any noise they make is small and quiet.

Except for when they're hungry. Then they won't shut up.

My name is Karibua, and I am King of this Pride. The Storm Pride. I have four lionesses in it already, and one other lion. Including four cubs, and a few more on the way.

Diadae, my Queen, my love. She is the first lioness to ever mother my cubs, and will be the one to mother most of them. Her fur is a lovely sandy color, her eyes a dull green. She is by far the most beautiful lioness I've ever laid eyes on, and not only that, she is kind and understanding to match her delicate motherly features.

Awagati, the second lioness to mother my cubs. She is large with soon-to-be-born cubs. Two or three, I believe. She is dark brown, her muzzle, paws, chest and belly a much lighter shade of brown. With brown eyes that blend in quite nicely with her color scheme. She has a more fiery spirit, you could say, but nobody can doubt that she has a soft spot for cubs.

Xithoga, a good friend. With benefits. She has agreed to mother my cubs sometime soon, and I will not pressure her. She will decide when the time is right. She has golden fur and orange eyes the color of they sky at sunset. She is more of a go-with-the-flow kind of lioness.

And finally, Chekara. She is the newest lioness, who just joined a couple months ago. She has a comeback for anything you say, always has to have the last word, and is sarcastic and cynical as all hell. Gray with dark blue eyes, she is the oldest member of this pride. Older than I, and at the same time she is still young enough to mother many cubs.

I pity the cubs she will undoubtedly have in the future.

And then there is the only other male in my Pride. His name is Redmane, which is appropriate. His mane is literally red, his fur purple. His muzzle, chest, belly, and paws a lighter shade of purple, like lavender. His eyes are red, matching his mane.

He looks so much like his father, Bloodmane…

There are my three cubs. Dau, Tifpa, and Kahio. Dau and Kahio are both males, and both take after Diadae the most. They both have sandy fur, although Kahio's is a lighter shade, whilst Dau looks just like a mini male version of Diadae. Tifpa is the only female, and is a russet-brown color, like me. Nobody knows what their eyes look like, because they have not opened yet.

Oh, me? I am a russet-brown male (of course. I mean, if I wasn't male, how could I be a King?) with eyes that look to be a mixture of red, orange and brown, and my mane is brown. I am a fully-grown adult, and am the second oldest member of this Pride.

In the heart of the Pridelands is the Pride Rock, where King Simba, Queen Nala, their daughter Kiara and son-in-law Kovu live. I have met them all personally, and I hear Kiara and Kovu have had a cub recently. Someday I will visit them again.

There, at Pride Rock, Pride life works differently. The firstborn cub is always next in line, Kings do not fall at the claws of nomadic lions, but of natural causes. Most of the time.

But, life out of the Royal Pride is no easy task. Definitely not. Life is much different. I have seen many Kings rise and fall, cubs born and killed, lionesses sacrificed and loved.

Listen carefully as I reminisce in the memoirs of a smart-minded King.

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**A/N:** For those of you who give a damn, I'm still doing _Warriors: She Will Die_ and the _Warriors_ oneshot series thing, don't worry. I've just been working on this for a while and thought I should post it... R&R, please!


	2. Chapter 1: Don't Understand

**_Chapter One: Don't Understand_**

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_Innocence lost at an age so young._

_In a perfect world, _

_No one would even know the meaning of "hate."_

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"But _moooom_!" I whined, bouncing around my mother's feet. "Why can't we stay here? It's so _nice_!" My reddish eyes were wide. Why did we have to leave? Everything was so nice where we were. Puddles, everywhere! Perfect for playing in!

But I do admit it gets lonely sometimes without other cubs around… Mom said I used to have a sister, but she was stillborn. She also says I'm smarter than most cubs my age, that I pick up things much faster than others. I had learned how to speak much earlier than normal. That I'm more mature, more understanding.

But I don't really understand. After all, I've never met another cub before.

She tells me I have a very complex mind. She says it as if she knows something I do not. Some kind of a secret that only she knows. Complex mind. What could that mean? She's always telling me how smart I am, that smart cubs like me are usually destined for great things. She says it with such wisdom.

She also says I'm incredibly stubborn and a fast-thinker. I'm not entirely sure if that's a compliment for not.

"I know it's nice, Karibua darling," Mom said in that calming voice of hers, sighing. "But this is not our home. Our home is a ways off from here." She explained, and her warm dark amber eyes shifted to the horizon, with a look of longing in them.

I stared at her for a second, trying to come up with a convincing argument. "But… why can't we make this place our home?" I offered, swinging my tail in a gesture pointing to the area surrounded us.

Mom looked down at me, silent, before her face broke out in a gentle smile. I've never seen mom angry, ever. A little annoyed and stern, yeah, but never really angry. "Because we don't belong here, my son. We need a Pride to survive. Otherwise, we'll starve. It's how things are meant to be. That is part of the Circle of Life." She finished, as if the Circle of Life explained it all.

I gave Mom a skeptical look when she mentioned the Circle of Life and I fought the urge to scoff. _Circle of Life_. It was nothing but fairytales. What with it's magic and spiritual crap. I don't understand, how can things like that happen? I mean, everyone knows things just don't _happen_. Everything has a reason.

Seeing the look I gave her, Mom's eyes filled with amusement. "I know what you're thinking. You will understand soon enough, Karibua darling."

I sighed quietly to myself in frustration, and my brows furrowed. She said the same thing every time. _"You'll understand soon enough,"_ or _"In time, darling. In time."_ It was annoying, but I reluctantly forced it to the back of my mind. Honestly, I wanted to talk about it more, and just _make_ Mom tell me. But she always said to wait. I _hate_ waiting.

And we set off, and I matched Mom step-for-step… sorta. I was only a few months old, after all. It was kind of hard to keep up with such small legs.

Why was I born out of the Pride, you may ask? Well, apparently my father wasn't in the most peaceful state of mind, and Mom feared that he might hurt me if I was born in the Pride, so she left. It wasn't uncommon with lions, so my father, Mowaki, let her go. As long as she came back. Of course she would! She had nowhere else to go.

The more Mom told me about Mowaki, the more he sounded like a gazelle-brained moronic tyrant with violent mood swings. Mom always tells me that I have her pelt, but mine was redder, closer to Mowaki's fur, and I had his eyes.

How comforting. I had the eyes of a control-freak.

Time slipped by quickly, and surprisingly enough, Mom and I traveled undisturbed. Usually we would at least have to avoid some hyenas. I guess today was an abnormal day… besides the fact we were returning to the Pride. Which didn't sound all that appealing to me. Pride life doesn't seem fair at all.

"Aria!" An unfamiliar voice called. My head snapped up, and so did Mom's. We stopped moving. _Aria…? Oh, right. That's Mom's name._ But it didn't sound like a greeting. It sounded tired and fearful. "You're back! …With a cub!" A tan yellow lioness emerged from out of the tall grass, and her yellow eyes had bags underneath them.

I stared at her in awe. It wasn't that she was beautiful, no way. She was skinny and a little ugly. It was just that I had never seen another creature like me before. Well, not this close. I've seen silhouettes in the distance, but nothing more.

"Wazakhol! What's wrong?!" Mom sounded worried, which was kind of foreign to me. I'm not used to Mom sounding so distressed. The hair along her spine was raised, and her dark amber eyes were a little wider in concern.

_Wazakhol._ Mom had spoken of her a lot. They were great friends. I didn't make a sound or move, just stood and watched the two lionesses interact in interest.

"It's-- it's Mowaki! He's--" Wazakhol never finished her sentence, as she was bowled over by a massive body, which was making terrifying sounds I'd only ever heard faintly in the distance. Roaring. Loudly, and menacingly. A massive dust cloud had formed around us as Wazakhol and the unknown creature went skidding through the dirt.

"Wazakhol?!" Mom cried out in fear for her friend.

When the dust cleared, Wazakhol's limp body came into focus at last, and so did another (very alive) body. I felt my throat tighten, my muscles stiffen, and my eyes widen to a size so large that I was sure they'd pop out. It looked like a lioness, but with thick fur around his chest, neck, and head, and was much larger than a lioness.

It hit me like elephant pellets. This was a lion. This was what I was going to grow up to be. Wazakhol had said my father's name. This must be him. He was much redder than I, and his brown mane was a slightly darker shade than my little brown tuft. I couldn't see his eyes.

"How dare you try and evade me, you wench?! I should kill you right now!" Mowaki snarled menacingly into Wazakhol's face, but she stayed unmoving, unresponsive. It was then that I noticed she had fallen on a sharp fallen acacia tree branch, and vaguely I saw the form of an acacia tree out of the corner of my eye, close to us.

I felt panic bubble inside me. Either Wazakhol was dead, or seriously injured. I couldn't tell, Mowaki's form was blocking the rest of her body from my sight. I instinctively shrank back in horror. I was just a cub, I wasn't supposed to see anything like this! Not yet!

"Mowaki!" Mom cried out again, sounding mortified. "What in the name of the Great Kings are you _doing_?!" Her amber eyes were wide with shock, fear, and horror.

Mowaki paused, then turned his head in our direction, and I saw his eyes for the first time. They were exactly like mine, in every way imaginable, except for one difference: his had an absolutely malicious glint to them.

To say it shared the living crap out of me would be an understatement.

His eyes that were so shockingly like mine seemed to analyze us, as if checking to see if we were potential threats. Was he dumber than I originally thought? I was a _cub,_ for the love of whatever is holy! And Mom was barely _half_ his size! Did he really think that we could pose any kind of threat whatsoever?!

"Ah." he said at last. "Aria. You have returned, and with my cub." I barely suppressed a shiver at how cool and smooth his deep voice was, and because of the way he addressed me. He made it sound as if I was just another reason to be under his leadership. A pawn, nothing more. It creeped me out more than you could ever imagine. Mowaki just gave off this air of _evil_, it was… indescribable. "I am so… _glad_ that you are back home."

He said it so smoothly that I found myself shivering again.

"Mowaki, what is the meaning of this?!" Mom exclaimed, baring her teeth at him. I blinked in shock at how scary she looked. I'd never seen her like this.

The crazed look in Mowaki's eyes returned, and his mouth drew back into a snarl again. "_Silence_!" He thundered, and I cowered between Mom's legs. "Who the hell are you to speak to me like that?!" He stepped off of Wazakhol, and I froze in complete horror.

The fallen branch was protruding through Wazakhol's chest, stained with her blood. Her tongue was lolling out of her mouth, and blood was dripping out of both the wound and her mouth rapidly. She was dead.

Mom gasped loudly above me, and I knew she saw her too. Mowaki noticed this, and glanced over his shoulder back at Wazakhol. When he looked back at us, the murderer was _grinning_. "Oh, _her_? You needn't worry about that wench. She's dead." He then looked at me, and his grin widened as he saw my horror. "What's the matter? Surely you know death is just a part of the Circle of Life. This is how Pridelife works. Defy your King, and you die. You must understand."

_No. I don't understand. I don't! _I wailed mentally. I felt a sudden strength rise inside of me, and I snarled more fiercely than I thought I could, "I _hate_ you!" I wasn't lying. I had only just met my own father, and I hated him already. And just like that, that sudden wave of strength was gone, and I was flung backwards as Mowaki's paw slammed into my head.

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**A/N:** Ouch. R&R, please!


	3. Chapter 2: Kings Rise And Fall

Smart Minds

Written by:

_CelestialStorywriter_

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**_Chapter Two: Kings Rise and Fall_**

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_As I have said before,_

_I have seen many Kings rise and fall._

_My father just happened to be the first._

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I was flung backwards and landed harshly as Mowaki slammed his paw into my head, and as I shakily stood up whilst coughing up some blood, I heard Mom shriek, "Mowaki! Why are you doing this?!" She sounded absolutely mortified, and immediately rushed to my aid. She nudged with her nose to help me get back on my feet. I coughed again, and a couple drops of blood landed on the ground beneath me. How hard had I landed? I couldn't remember how it felt. When I landed, I just felt _numb_.

As the pain of hitting the ground slowly seeped back into my bones, Mowaki snapped in response to Mom's frantic question, "He is an ignorant brat. I expected better of you, Aria." He sounded both scolding and scathing at the same time.

Mom looked sharply at him. "Me?!" She yelled in outrage. "What have _I_ done wrong?!"

_Um, Mom?_ I wanted to say. _Don't you have bigger things to worry about? Like, oh, I dunno, __**me**__?_

"You have done _everything_ wrong, Aria." Mowaki sounded as if he was scolding a child who had committed a wrong. "You should have raised him better."

Mom sputtered disbelievingly. "I should have raised him-- you're _insane_!" She screamed the last part out, and I couldn't help but silently agree. I was standing now, but I was still shaking a little from the sheer impact of his paw hitting me. And because of the aching feeling of pain that was catching up to me.

The scolding look turned to one of rage in an instant, and he slapped her roughly, her head snapping in the opposite direction with a loud 'smack!'. "Mom!" I squeaked in shock.

The look of rage never left Mowaki's face, but Mom didn't move. I couldn't see her face. "You're mad." She stated quietly, not looking at him, or me. "That's what Wazakhol was going to say. You've lost your mind."

Mowaki roared and struck her again, this time knocking her onto the ground. "_Mom_!" I repeated, dashing over to her. She wasn't hurt and was still very alive, but she didn't move. She had an unreadable look on her face that I couldn't identify. "I loved you, Mowaki…" she whispered, in an empty, soulless voice that sent chills up and down my spine.

But Mowaki didn't seem to hear her, and if he did, then he just didn't care. "I should kill you _and_ that brat, you ungrateful bitch."

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_Three hours later._

Mom and I had been 'escorted' by Mowaki back to… our Pride's base. I say "our" reluctantly, since I no longer want to be of any part of my father's Pride. Mowaki had left us, and Mom introduced me to her Pridesisters. It was a rather small Pride, but a Pride nonetheless. They were cautious, and even flinched when I fixed them all with my familiar eyes. I had made sure to make it clear that I was _not_ on Mowaki's side, even if he was my father. They warmed up to me immediately.

First, Mom introduced me to Ukatib, an elderly midnight black lioness with gray eyes. She was nice, but scrawny and underfed. All of them were.

Then there was Tara, a light green lioness with purple rings around her lavender eyes and purple ears, and a green nose. She was relatively young, and just a green ball full of energy. She spoke fast and incoherently like an idiot.

I disliked her already.

And then there was Sorake and her daughter Xithoga. They both looked to be the splitting image of the other; gold with orange eyes like the sunset. But Sorake had a long, ugly scar along her chest. Sorake was a typical mother, caring and loving. Xithoga, on the other hand, I could tell was a complete annoyance in the three hours we had known each other. She was always trying to talk to me, trying to "become my friend."

I didn't need friends. What I did need was to get Mom and me the _hell_ out of here.

My prayers would only be half-answered.

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_Five weeks later._

It's been five weeks since Mom and I rejoined the Pride, and I haven't developed a relationship with anyone. At all. Luckily enough, I had managed to narrowly avoid my father, for the most part. When I _was_ near him, though (against my will I assure you), I made sure to avoid all eye-contact and speak as less as possible. I had managed to sneak away from Xithoga long enough to get some alone time for once--

"_Karibuaaa_!" Damn it.

The golden she-cub came bouncing towards me, and I scowled. Her orange eyes were alight with life, though she looked half-dead herself. She was incredibly scruffy and thin, I'm amazed she hasn't been whisked off by the wind yet.

_If only…_

"Hey, Kari! How are you?" She asked in a friendly voice. She was smiling widely. I just scowled at her.

"Don't call me Kari. My name is Karibua. Use it." I said shortly. I didn't dare give her any chance at conversation. There was something I had learned about young females: if you get them talking, they never stop. I hardly had any patience for lions like that.

Xithoga ignored me and continued, "Good! I'm doing great." _You certainly don't look like it._ She plopped herself down onto the ground beside and my scowl got deeper. I didn't want her here. I needed to think in peace. And there was just no chance for silence with Xithoga yammering on and on about useless things. "So, have you heard? Ukatib scented an unknown lion yesterday, by the Central Acacia Tree! It was stale, so she didn't tell Mowaki. Savannah, who knows what that big oaf would have done if she _had_ told him! And so deep inside our territory, too. He would have went ballistic…"

I drowned her out. I didn't need to know those petty things. I needed to think of a plan. Something to get away from Mowaki… I thought hard, but in the end, I came up with nothing.

"…Ukatib went to that same place today. She checked to see if the stale scent had been renewed. It was! She identified it as a rogue male. She told us that she was _so_ not going to tell Mowaki that _now_. Every time he even _thinks_ there's a threat to his leadership, he completely loses it. Last time he found an unknown scent, he killed my aunt…" Xithoga's eyes glazed over with sadness.

I was fully alert to her now. A threat to Mowaki's leadership? A plan slowly began to form itself in my mind. Success! "Xithoga, you're _brilliant_!" I exclaimed, and darted off.

"…Thank you?" Xithoga said to no one in particular.

I ran and ran and ran, until I nearly crashed into the Central Acacia Tree. It was called that because it was smack-dab in the middle of our territory, and was where the lionesses went to rest after a long day's hunt. I sniffed the base of it, and froze went I caught the scent. The scent on a rogue lion. Perfect! Ukatib said it had been renewed just this morning. If that was truly so, then the lion had to come back today!

I waited for hours on end, ignoring my mother's faint calls as she searched for me. This was much too important. But, then I began to feel tired. After barely keeping myself awake for a long while, it was sunset, and I fell flat on my side and succumbed to sleep.

I felt someone prodding me sharply in the side with their claws. Who the hell prods a cub with their _claws_? I woke with a start, and found myself gazing into yellow-orange eyes. I let out a startled yelp and leapt to my paws, and the unknown lion's head shot backwards.

I stood, shaking slightly, at the sight of a large male lion. He was gray, his mane a light brown. His yellow-orange eyes were wide as they stared down at me. "Cub," He grunted, regaining himself, "What're you doin' here? Where's your Pride?"

_So,_ I thought. _This is him. The one to free my mother and I from Mowaki's insanity._

I found myself unable to speak momentarily. But then I sputtered, "M-my name is K-Karibua, and this is the center of my Pride's territory." I began. I had planned out what I would say while I was waiting, but now I was struggling to remember all of it. "M-Mowaki, my father, is an unstable tyrant of a King. I was waiting here for you to return, so I could maybe, ask you if…" I choked on my words. I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't think anyone could be as big as my father. But here he was, this Pride-less rogue, who looked like he could certainly give Mowaki a run for his gazelles."Spit it out, boy!" The lion snapped. That snapped me out of it pretty quickly.

"I wanted to ask you if you could defeat him and become the new King of my Pride!" I blurted.

He stared at me, stunned. I was afraid he was going to decline when he smirked in a way that vaguely reminded me of Mowaki, but I paid it no mind. Surely no lion could be worse than him? "Take me to your Pride, boy. My name is Yekopa."

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_At the Pride base._

I felt as if I would nearly burst with excitement. Mom had given me a thorough tongue-lashing for not coming when she called, but I hadn't listened. Mowaki would finally be overthrown! Once I told them I had planned all this, they would see me as a hero! Mom would finally be safe.

Yekopa was hiding somewhere in the tall grass surrounding us, downwind so no one could scent him. He had been acting odd as I led him to my Pride's base, like he knew something I didn't. I'm sure it doesn't matter, though.

Mowaki appeared, looking indifferent and somehow infuriatingly smug at the same time as usual. I was once again startled by the similarity our eyes shared. _But I'll never be like you._ I vowed.

This would be the last time I would see my father alive, because Yekopa launched himself out of the tall grass and landed square on his shoulders, knocking him to the ground with a loud crash, his jaws embedded deep in his neck. The Pride was shocked into silence, and no one made a move to help their King. I stood proudly, feeling triumphant as though _I_ was the one defeating him.

If I had known the laws of Pridelife, I never would have brought him here. If I had known new Kings were supposed to kill the cubs that were born during the previous reign, I never would have even considered it. But I didn't know, and I would pay for it. Because as soon as the light faded from Mowaki's eyes, Yekopa stepped off him and took a swipe at the cub nearest him.

Xithoga.

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**A/N:** What the hell happened to my format?! R&R, please!


	4. Chapter 3: No Such Thing

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Chapter Three: No Such Thing

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I'll never forgive myself for what happened.

_Never._

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"No!" Sorake howled, flinging herself between Yekopa's outstretched claws and her daughter. There was a horrible slashing sound as he reopened her chest scar, blood flowing out in wave after wave onto the sandy ground. Sorake fell to the ground, gasping desperately for breath.

_It's no use._ I thought. _She's losing too much blood._ I could only stand in silent shock. This was my fault. I should have never brought him here. It's my fault this is happening. _And because me of me, Xithoga's mother will die._ My legs began to shake.

Xithoga gave a wail of horror at the sight of her bleeding mother. "Mama!" She made a move towards her, but Tara snatched her up by the scruff. She kicked and screamed by eventually gave up, sobbing loudly into her paws.

Yekopa just loomed over Sorake, watching her bleed to death. His orange-yellow eyes showed nothing but indifference. I couldn't move, I couldn't make a sound. _My fault, my fault…_ I was wrong. Yekopa was just as bad as my father. We're all doomed and it's because of me.

Sorake gargled, looking as if she was trying to speak. After a moment of bright red blood pouring out of her mouth, she just barely managed to choke out, "T-t-this scar… Mowaki gave it t-to me… when I-I tried to defend my s-sister Anga…" Xithoga stared at her intently, fear still evident on her face, but I think she knew just as well as the rest of us that these were Sorake's final words. "She looked j-just like me, you know… but her left front paw was brown…" She feebly attempted to smile. "My daughter," she called, and Xithoga risked a step forward. Sorake seemed to sense this since she went on, "If you have a-a cub, name it…" She took one last shuddering breath, "…Jua, 'sunshine.'" Yekopa let out another wailing sob, nodding her head vigorously, splattering salty tears everywhere.

And then Sorake was gone.

"Well," Yekopa drawled. "That was certainly a heart-wrenching display, now wasn't it?" He smirked lopsidedly, stepping away from the dead golden lioness. Ukatib snarled at him, but he ignored her. He turned his orange-yellow gaze to Xithoga. "I'll get to _you_ later." He hissed threateningly at her, and she shrank back, flinching.

Then, he looked at me. I scrambled backwards, my breathing erratic.

"This is a mighty _fine_ predicament you got yourself in, now isn't it?" He breathed just low enough for only me to hear.

I couldn't help myself. I let out a sharp cry.

"_Stop_!" Mom shouted, putting herself between Yekopa and I. She had her fangs bared at him, the fiercest expression I'd ever seen her give. Her usually warm amber eyes were blazing, her short brown fur standing on end. He looked at her in disbelief. He obviously couldn't believe she could be as stupid as to do the same thing Sorake had done. "I will make you a deal." She hissed stiffly.

That got his attention. "Really?" He asked, unnecessarily drawing out the word, probably for more dramatic effect. I was really starting to think he saw life as nothing more than a game. "What kind of deal?" He was grinning now, circling her.

Mom paused, taking a deep breath. "My life for my son's safety."

I stared at her in shock, but still I couldn't move. My limbs were frozen, unless to run. My mouth wouldn't work correctly unless it was to make a sound of terror. My eyes were wide, unless to die.

"Oh?" Yekopa said, considering it. "What of the golden cub?" He flicked his tail in Xithoga's direction. She was hunched over her mother's body, sniffling pathetically.

"You already _killed_ her mother." Mom growled, flexing her muscles as if to attack, though I knew she knew better. At least I hoped she did. Ukatib and Tara were giving her looks of horror, but they said nothing. I wish they did. Why weren't they stopping her?!

Yekopa studied her for a moment. There was a tense, pregnant silence as he thought over his decision. Then, slowly, a fanged smile spread over his face. "Very well." He said at last. "I will take your life in exchange for the two cubs' safety." He unsheathed his deadly claws, and they glinted black in the sunlight.

"Wait." She pleaded, and surprisingly enough, he did. He held his dangerous paw in the air, waiting for the time to strike. She turned her head around to look at me. "Karibua, darling," _Don't call me darling. I don't deserve it!_ "Please, look away."

To my own amazement, I complied. I should have said no. I should have done something. But I didn't. And I would regret it for the rest of my life.

There was a sickening crack. I flinched violently.

"This is the Circle of Life, cub." Yekopa said in a low voice. If I didn't know better, I would say he was trying to comfort me. He probably just pitied me. I didn't dare open my eyes. Pawsteps faded away as he went to most likely speak to the other lionesses. But before they went completely away, he threw over his shoulder, "This is the way the Great Kings of the Past intend for us to live."

When I was sure he was gone, I opened my eyes, deliberately looking in any direction that wasn't my mother's corpse's. "Circle of Life." I laughed bitterly to myself, before feeling anger explode inside me, shakily sitting up on my haunches. I raised my head to the sky, screaming to the nonexistent heavens, "If the Great Kings of the Past really existed, they never would have let this happen! _There is no such thing_!"

With that, I collapsed onto the ground, finally letting the tears overflow.

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**A/N:** I honestly didn't think I could write this… Review?

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	5. Chapter 4: Scarred Strangers

**_Chapter Four: Scarred Strangers_**

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_The brother of Mufasa is not as evil as everyone believes._

_He didn't even come up with the plan to kill Mufasa and Simba in the stampede._

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I did.

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Two-and-a-half months. That's how long it's been since my mother and Xithoga's sacrificed themselves for us. I didn't deserve to live anymore. My mother had been killed because of my foolishness, why would anyone want me around? I practically murdered them! I didn't mean to! I swear to whatever is sacred in this forsaken land that I didn't mean to!

_Well,_ my voice of reason tried, _they don't know you brought Yekopa here. They don't know the real reason why you've been so depressed._ I sighed, sitting on my haunches, the setting sun giving myself and the world around me an orange hue. _Perhaps it's best if it stays that way._ I wrapped my tail around myself in a vain attempt for comfort. I was plenty far away from the other Pridemembers, who were probably hunkering down to sleep right about now. They wouldn't worry about me. Sure, they knew how unstable I was, but they also knew I wasn't dumb.

I was larger now, the little brown tuft on my head now bigger and just starting to spread to the back of my head, and muscles were building inside me already. Ukatib told me she suspected I would be a very powerful King one day. I doubted it. If this was truly normal Pridelife I didn't want anything to do with it. But it's not like I had a choice. If I left now, I would surely die. And I couldn't die.

Not until I killed Yekopa. I knew this was my fault, but Yekopa was still the one who delivered the final blows. He had to pay for that. Only then could I truly punish myself for the mistakes I've made.

Xithoga had been… odd ever since _that_ day. Even more so than I. She would jump at the slightest of sounds, and cower if Yekopa got too close. Yekopa was no where near as greedy as Mowaki when it came to food, though, so she had gained some more weight, her cheeks becoming more rounded. Overall, she had become more good-looking, but I took no notice. Much as I hate to admit it, she had become somewhat like a sister to me, as she had stuck to me like glue. This was one of the rare times I had away from her. Her pupils seemed permanently small ever since, much like how Ukatib described Outlanders to look in her stories of times old.

Outlanders. I never really figured out what to think of them. Banished from their Prides for the rest of their lives, while at the same time holding so strongly to their own beliefs. The closest to a conclusion I had come to about them was that they were to be both admired and feared at the same time.

And then there was the Royal Pride of Priderock. King Mufasa, Queen Sarabi, and Prince Simba. I didn't know what to think of them either. I don't think I ever will. But I do know that we live quite close to them. The border should be pretty close to where I am, actually…

The land was silent, not even crickets chirped, the smell of grass sharply poignant in the air. The only sound was the wind as the sun slowly set, but I wish it could just be night already. I felt most secure at dark, though why I didn't know. The cold… it just felt right, as the sun's bright rays always made me duck and seek shade. I hated heat, I really did. It only made me feel even more despondent.

I sat stock-still, gazing at the sunset. My breathing was even and smooth. I wish I could say the same for my mind.

There was a rustle from straight in front of me. My head shot up, reddish eyes scanning the tall grass before me. I saw nothing out of the ordinary, perhaps I'm just being paranoi-- _WAIT!_ There! A small bright flash of green! What--?

A reddish-brown (even more than _my_ fur) and black flash burst out of the tall grass at me, knocking me backwards onto my back. I lay there in shock for a moment, staring at the orange sky with wide eyes, before shaking my head to clear it of all fuzziness and tried to pull myself to my feet, suddenly feeling heavy and grunting in effort as I did so. But I stopped halfway through as I saw a set of huge paws in front of me, and my mouth dropped open slightly in shock. Another lion?! It had to be. No lioness had paws that huge, and those certainly weren't Yekopa's feet, he was _gray_ and didn't have lighter toes.

I looked up, and immediately wished I hadn't. The lion had a mane as black as midnight, and eyes such a bright, almost neon green that they almost seemed to glow against the darkening sky, not only that, but across his left eye was a scar. They seemed to look right through me, and what's worse, they were narrowed; hostile. But his claws were sheathed. Why didn't he just attack me?

But then his eyes softened, and I was grateful for it. He leaned down to eye level with me. "Cub," He greeted, "you _are_ aware of how close you are to the border, aren't you?" his tone was gentle, but still held an edge. That was understandable.

I didn't answer for a few seconds, but then I apologized, "I'm sorry, sir." I straightened, flattening my fur. "I wasn't thinking. I come here a lot to think, and everything else just seems to fade away when I get lost in thought." That was true. I got to my feet. The newcomer studied me with those bright virescent eyes of his.

"Hmm." He said after a moment. His gaze shifted to the darkening horizon. "I understand. That happens to me sometimes as well." I followed his gaze, and together we both watched the sun set in silence. "What Pride are you from, boy?" He asked.

"Shadow." I answered honestly. I instantly felt a connection to this lion. I felt as though I could trust him. Something told me he knew pain just as well as I did, maybe better, if that scar was any indication. This was odd, I had never felt so close to someone before, not since my mother. But I didn't question it.

He nodded. "The Shadow Pride. That's quite close to mine, the Royal Pride." He looked at me, and I knew he felt the same connection by the look on his face. It was calm and friendly. "Your name?" He lay beside me, and I sat back onto my haunches.

"Karibua." I smiled at him, the first genuine smile I had made in so long…

"Nice to meet you, Karibua." He smiled back at me, and I knew his was genuine too. "My name is Scar." My smile faltered for a split second, but I didn't let it stay that way. Who in their right mind would name their cub something like that? Especially when he actually _has_ a scar.

"That wasn't always my name." Okay, he had to be freaking _psychic_. "My name use to be Taka, 'trash.' Cruel name, I know. But my father was just that kind of guy." He gave me a knowing look. I guess he really did know my pain, to have a father that also wasn't in his right mind. "I renamed myself that after he gave me this scar."

My eyes widened. Mowaki had been a murderer, but he had never hit _me_ except for that one time when I first arrived.

He chuckled darkly. "Oh, yes. Daddy Ahadi had quite a temper. My brother was gentler, but he knew better than to do anything against him. So, one day, he ordered my big brother Mufasa to make me bleed." He sounded chillingly cheerful as he said that, but I could see the pain in his eyes. He seemed to sense that and closed them. "And for the first time, I fought back. Big mistake. Daddy dearest _himself_ decided to punish me for that one, instead of making Big Brother do it." He chuckled again. "Said that it 'built character.'"

I watched him carefully with wide reddish eyes. I thought I had it bad. I didn't even _have_ a sibling. He continued by asking, "Well, boy, what's your story?"

And so I told him. When I was done, he was silent. Then finally, he shook his head. "What you did was foolish, boy." He said at last.

I hung my head in shame. So he thought so too. "But it's not your fault." My eyes shot back up to look at him in shock. "How could you have known what he would do? No one ever properly taught you how Pridelife operates."

Then his expression went sour. "Unlike me, who is much smarter than my _brute_ of a big brother. I know more than he does, I always have." But then guilt settled over his features. "No. I can't blame him for what's happened to me. Father would have done even _worse_ than what he did to me if he ever spoke back. Now Father is gone, and Big Brother rules our lands, with his Queen and son, his heir." He sighed, resting his head on his paws. "_I_ am supposed to be King. Savannah knows I deserve it more than anything else." He growled after a pause.

I nodded in agreement. Another moment of silence passed between us. It was fully nighttime now. Now, the world surrounding us was dark with a blue hue. I felt a sudden need to help him, to try and ease his pain. Was this what caring for someone else felt like? The only other person I had felt this way for was my mother. Or was it… pity?

"Well…" I tried, swishing my tail once. What was I supposed to say? It wasn't like he could take the throne now. His brother and nephew would have to die to do that, and by the sound of it, I don't think they… were…

My ears perked.

"Kill them." I stated simply.

Scar whipped his head around at me so fast I was shocked nothing broke. "What?!" He exclaimed, green eyes wide. "Are you suggesting that I _kill my own brother and nephew_?!" His jaw went slack, traces of anger etched on his thin face.

I winced. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea after all. But still… "Once they joined the Heavens, they would be kind enough to understand your reasons. The gorge isn't so far from Priderock, and the wildebeests have chosen a grazing ground right next to it." I would know, Tara took me there to teach me how to hunt. When Scar said nothing, I took that as an invitation. "Find some way to lure the Prince there and…" I told him everything. It was incredible, it was as if I wasn't even the one speaking. It came to me as I talked. I felt like I had been waiting to say this my whole life, like some kind of plan laid out before me by the Circle of--

I shook off those ridiculous thoughts.

When I finished, Scar just stared at me, not saying a word. His expression switched between astonishment, disbelief, shock, and back again. But then it finally stopped on two: realization and excitement. "Yes." He murmured at last. "Yes, that's perfect! Brilliant!" He was smiling now. "Boy, how can I ever repay you? I… I shall make you my heir--!"

"No." I cut him off. "I must deal with my own problems first. I must kill Yekopa, and rule the Shadow Pride like I know I should." Determination burned within me. I meant every word. At his look of disappointment, I added, "But, make my eldest cub your heir." That was reasonable, wasn't it?

He looked to be considering it, before nodding. "Thank you, Karibua. I look forward to when we meet again. Farewell, my friend." He turned and darted off into the grass and out of sight, most likely to think over the little details of the plan on his own.

It was well beyond midnight by now, I should return home. Standing on all four paws, I made my way back to my Pride's base.

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**A/N:** This was quite difficult to write x_x I think I may have rushed it a bit. Review?


	6. Chapter 5: The First Kill

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**Chapter Five: The First Kill**

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I remember my first successful hunt.

It was on the day after I had met Scar for the first time.

Now that I think about it…

I had every chance in the world then to right my destiny,

But had blatantly ignored it due to my own stubbornness.

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"And we had to walk uphill, _both_ ways, _with_ an antelope carcass, _in_ heavy downpour…" I forced myself to drown out Ukatib's elder ramblings. Tara babbled on uselessly with her. Since the Sacrifice (everyone had come to call my mother and Xithoga's deaths by that term, and something always entered Xithoga's eyes every time it was mentioned, I could never decipher it) our Pride was even smaller than before. Just me, Xithoga, Tara, Ukatib, and Yekopa. Yekopa had been searching for rogue lionesses to "ask" (force) into our Pride, but he was having no luck. Still no one knew that it was my fault that all this had happened, and I was hell-bent on it staying that way.

We had all been affected by the Sacrifice, especially Xithoga, but somehow it didn't seem to effect Tara and Ukatib as much as us. I had been angry at that at first, before I realized: they had most likely seen much more than us, of course they would become at least somewhat accustomed to things like this. Death. Murder. Pridelife in general.

I dragged myself along the dirt, feeling much too tired to be brought out for hunting training. The sun was barely even up, for the love of the Savannah! But I forced myself to ignore it. My body was on autopilot, my mind was still engrossed in the encounter with Scar I had yesterday. Would he succeed? Would he forget me? I had no answer.

Beside me, Xithoga listened far too intently to Tara and Ukatib's blabbering, and a voice in the back of my mind joked that it was because they shared the same illness as her: _Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome_. Still blindly following the two older lionesses' orders, when Ukatib placed her paw directly above my head (the signal for _crouch down low_ during training) I flattened myself against the grass, peeking through the dry yellow strands to catch a glimpse of the antelope in the clearing before us. Xithoga did the same thing, since like any average cub (I had long discovered I wasn't exactly _average_) she copied and mimicked the movements of the (_living_) lion/lioness she held in highest regard.

I suppose I should feel flattered, but once again, no responsive feelings sprang up within me.

"_Not a sound…_" Ukatib hissed in my ear, crouching down as well next to me. I obeyed instinctively, flattening myself even more. I could feel Xithoga's orange eyes boring into me.I waited. The wind breezed through my tuft of mane; an omen, I knew it was, somehow. But of what, I was not sure.

"_Now_!"

I sprang, bursting from the tall grass. Everything became a blur, and it was over as soon as it began, but for me, everything seemed to be in slow motion. The antelope bucked and shot away from me, all terrified for their lives. I turned sharply as they did, following all their movements. I was nearing the back, where all the slowest ones were. _"Always go for the sick and the lame, darling."_ Mother had told me before she was sacrificed, after returning from a hunting trip. I was curious, I asked her how she hunted. My first lesson.

A pang in my chest at the memory caused me to falter, but then I was at full attention again. Just a few more yards, come on…

I reached out with outstretched claws, and nearly missed, before latching onto a strong but sickly buck. I leapt onto it's back and was nearly thrown off. I hate my size. However I didn't allow myself to be beaten. It whinnied, bucked, went absolutely berserk but I didn't fall off. I bit, tore and dug into it's back, blood spilling my muzzle, and I paused my attack to lick it off almost greedily, tongue flicking over my chops. The herd was plenty far away by now, but I had forgotten them. To me, it was just me and the buck, pure instinct now.

This went on for nearly five minutes, before I began to feel the buck tire. It gradually slowed, and when I saw it was finally able to be overpowered, I used all my strength to push it harshly to the ground. It landed with a _THUMP_ and a loud outtake of breath. It was breathing heavily. Soon, it would be dying. I would make sure of it. My tail raised in animalistic glee, I roughly rolled it over to better expose it's neck, and froze when I looked into it's wide, petrified black eyes.

I saw my reflection in it's eyes, and my own orbs were no longer a mixture of yellow, orange and red, they were just _red_. Pure, bright, crimson blood red. It almost made me jump in fear, as at first I didn't even recognize myself. It's amazing how the emotions in someone's eyes can somehow make them another person entirely, even if everything else looked the same as it ever did.

My prey kicked at my stomach once feebly, far too weak to actually do anything.

I was shaken out of my stupor. I clamped my jaws around the buck's throat, cutting off it's air supply. It had a sudden burst of energy (from Savannah knows where) and attempted to wriggle free to no avail. After a few more seconds of vain struggling, it's eyes lost its light and I could feel the life draining out of it.

It was dead. The blood on my claws sent shockwaves up and down my legs for reasons unknown. I took pleasure in killing the buck, and I couldn't wait to do it again. The fear in it's eyes, the gaping bleeding gashes I had made, the feeling of it's life seeping away… it gave me a darkly satisfied feeling.

Feeling giddier than I ever had in my entire life, I placed my paws on it's shoulders, straightening myself into an almost dramatic position, pointed my muzzle towards the cloudless sky, and roared. It was a loud, startling roar that sent birds in nearby acacia trees fleeing like they were being hunted. They probably thought they were. I swore I heard faint traces of another lion, older and obviously much stronger, roaring along with me, while still sounding like… _my_ roar. I don't know how to explain it; it sounded like _me_, only _older_, if that made any sense.

Like a taste of what was to come. I was too joyful of my success to really give it much thought, and it was soon forgotten. I didn't believe in those kind of things, nobody controls what happens, things just _happen_. I should have listened, I should have considered what I was being warned of. I should have taken that chance to push down my bloodthirsty, violent urges, and I should have chosen to acknowledge the existence of some higher power.

But I didn't, thus I had unknowingly, yet willingly chosen a darker path, which would only become more twisted and complicated until it met the path of the Royal Kings themselves, one of them being more than _acquainted_ with me, even though he wouldn't remember.

I had no clue of these facts.

I lowered my head to gaze down proudly at my first kill, oblivious that my eyes were bright crimson again. They flickered back to normal as I heard a rustle and knew the others were coming to congratulate me.

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**A/N:** ACK, I know this fic is going slow, but I can't help it, I _love_ to write dramatics, and I find it intriguing to write the major events in Karibua's cubhood/adolescence, since he has such a bloody outlook on life. The next chapter will actually have the plot showing, but I especially want to hear your thoughts on _this_ particular chapter, so review, if you may?

By the way, **Bill_The_Cat**? HIS IDENTITY IS A SECRET.

*shifty eyes*


	7. Chapter 6: The Birdkeeper

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**Chapter Six: The Birdkeeper**

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Tojo was an interesting character, to say the least.

One minute he was a bumbling fool,

The next a cautious fool.

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Birds. Everywhere. _They were driving me insane._ Small, blue birds with lighter bellies, and yellow beaks. I don't even know where they came from, I just woke up to the sound of endless chirping. Above me, the Central Acacia Tree was littered with fast-moving, annoying, loud airborne creatures. I was alone, having fallen asleep by myself instead of returning to the Pride's base, though I'm sure no one was worrying. My first successful hunt had only been a week ago. It was morning.

Everyone had been impressed with my catch. I would even go as far as to say Yekopa was as well, if I had not known better. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. "Shut the _fuck_ up, you damn rats with wings!" I roared up at the feathered heathens, bristling with fury for being awakened when all I wanted was blessed _sleep_. After an entire night of relentless speed practice, I was dead on my feet. Ukatib was hardly a mothering kind of lion, and didn't let up if you showed promise. In fact, if you did well, she pushed you _harder_. I knew that was most likely a good thing, but _damn_.

"_Hey_, now, buddy! No need for such language!" A new voice said cheerfully in greeting behind me, and I whirled, the beginnings of a snarl on my face. I realized I probably should be a bit more friendly to newcomers, but even when I tried, it didn't feel… right. I was faking it. If I was going to interact with others, I was only going to act like how _I_ wanted to, unless absolutely necessary, so I figured I just wasn't that friendly a lion by nature.

Before me, smiling widely (or, in my cynical mind's eye, stupidly) was a male cub who I've never seen before. His scruffy fur was darkish, a messy tuft of fur of the same color atop his head, though I could tell he was older than me (but not by much). Already I had more mane than him. His eyes were a soft blue, alight with life. You could literally _see_ a white light in them, while my own reddish orbs held none. I had seen too much to be so disgustingly _happy_ for no reason.

He approached me and I growled, which he pointedly ignored. I stepped back a few steps but he just walked straight past me, planting his front paws on the acacia tree trunk, looking up at the Savannah-forsaken birds. I noticed I've been saying Savannah a lot. The Savannah isn't a higher, divine power, it's a great fellow predator which should be admired, feared and respected by all, so it doesn't count as me believing in anything besides it's greater skills at surviving in this harsh world. The Savannah is truly a master of manipulating the other creatures inhabiting it's land.

The strange cub whistled loudly, the birds immediately flapping madly down to him. They chirped merrily, pecking him softly in an almost loving gesture. He smiled ridiculously wide in happiness at their obvious show of affection. I watched in amazement and disbelief. Birds and lions, _friends_? That was simply unheard of.

Turning to me, the detestable look never leaving his face, he introduced himself, "I'm Tojo," he flicked an ear at the winged rodents settling themselves on his form, "and these are my birds." His eyes were shining, "What's your name, stranger?"

I grimaced at him, "I don't see why I should tell you anything." I stood my ground, fixing him with hardened, intelligent eyes. I contemplated unsheathing my claws and scraping them across the dirt in warning.

The moron actually pouted, "Aw, c'mon, I told you _my_ name." He insisted, flopping down onto his haunches clumsily like the oaf he was. His face then brightened as he got an idea, "I'll tell you my birds' names!" Without waiting for a response, he continued, "This is Asher, Prancer, Donner and Stupid--"

"Alright, alright!" I snarled nastily, circling him. "My name is Karibua." Instead of commenting on my name like I knew he would, he looked at me strangely as I circled him, one eyebrow raised in indignation. I didn't care if I was being unreasonable, he was in the _center_ of my Pride's territory, and he most certainly was not a member of the Shadow Pride. He had to have some kind of purpose for being here. His birds cowered under my gaze.

"Hey, buddy, whatcha actin' all _hostile_ for?" He asked with furrowed brows, but I didn't respond. I was getting into the _attack-and-chase-out-or-maybe-kill_ mindset, the one I had discovered while taking down that buck last week. He stood up again now, straightening himself to his full height. He was barely taller than me at all, and he was weaker. Anyone with eyes could tell I had more muscles and could probably take him down without that much of a problem. He noticed this and his eyes narrowed. "Geez, dude, you're acting a bit like Simba did when we first met."

I stopped walking, "…Simba?" I inquired, trying to sound nonchalant, "He's still alive? You met him?" I didn't know why I felt disappointed, the plan I had given Scar was pretty basic, he would need some time to make it more elaborate and put everything in place. Every second of every day, the nagging thought of finally hearing the news of the King and Prince's deaths and Scar's reign whispered in the back of my mind, then the eventual reign of my firstborn cub.

I could hardly wait until the day came.

Tojo's blue eyes flooded with confusion, "Of course he's alive, why wouldn't he be? And yeah, I met him. We're friends." His eyes now held a guarded look in them, "Why?" he almost seemed to demand, his voice got an edge to it as he pressed, "You're not one of that creep Scar's goons, are you? I've heard the rumors of him sneaking off to meet those mangy hyenas."

My heart skipped a beat. I snorted, trying to sound believable, and it worked. "Do I _look_ like a hyena to you?" I did my best to make it sound like a joke, and not glare at him suspiciously. It seemed far too coincidental that he would say something like that so soon after I had met Scar…

He relaxed a bit at that, and with the way his feet kept shuffling back and forth, I supposed he was trying to decide whether to keep standing or sit back down. "Heh, guess not." His birds calmed down with him, their feathers laying flat.

"So," I drawled, "what are you doing so deep in the Shadow Pride's lands?" My tone now had traces of accusation in it, and I didn't blink as I stared at him, almost in challenge.

Tojo paled under his fur. "S-Shadow Pride?" He stammered, blue eyes going wide and his paws took a hasty step back from me. "You b-belong to the _Shadow_ Pride?!"

I felt confused by his reaction. "Yes?" I answered uncertainly. Why was he acting like this?

"Mowaki is the Shadow King!" He exclaimed, voice raising a few octaves in fear. "Mowaki _killed my father_ and left my mother scarred!" He almost looked to be shaking.

I felt understanding wash over me. So that was it… he also was a victim of a crime my father had committed during his lifetime. "Mowaki isn't the King anymore," I told him calmly, not wanting to panic him any further, "Mowaki is dead. The new King's name is Yekopa." _But I can't say we're in a much better situation now than we were before._

His eyes practically shined with relief, "R-really? So no more murders?" He sounded as if he could hardly believe it. I felt puzzled, frowning. How long had my father's tirade been going?

"Yes," I breathed, both lying and telling the truth at the same time, "no more murders." _Not by Mowaki, at least._

Suddenly, Tojo seemed to explode with life, "_Yes_! Piga will be so happy!" he cried, and added as an afterthought, "And Zira too, I guess." He didn't seem very happy to mention the last one, but that didn't stop him from nearly bouncing in place.

When he saw my confusion, he grinned at me. "Piga and Zira are two lionesses from my Pride, the Sky Pride. Piga is a young adult, and Zira is her younger sister, but she's not that much younger. In fact, she acts older than all the rest of us!" He snickered slightly at his own humor. "They sent me here to see if Mowaki was still King, and to see 'The one Scar keeps talking about' whatever that means. I don't know why they asked _me_ out of everyone in the Pride, why did they think they had the authority anyway…?" He trailed off, before continuing, "…Um, still, I wasn't gonna go through with it, but then I got lost. And then my birds were scared off by something-- I don't know what, then you found them, and here we are!" If possible, his grin got wider as he finished.

I was sure now, Tojo also had Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome, but I merely scowled at it, "'The one Scar keeps talking about'?" I murmured more to myself than to anyone else, but Tojo heard me.

"Yeah, confused me too." He said with a nod. "But those two sisters are known for being zany, so it doesn't surprise me much." He made a move to leave, "Wanna meet them?" he asked, ears perking.

"Sure." I had to. How could they know about my involvement with Scar?

His expression turned unsure, "Shouldn't you ask your mom or something?" It was then that I realized he really was just a cub. An immature, childish, adult-dependant cub. I knew I was better. I didn't need to depend on others, I could damn well take care of myself and I knew it. I was smarter, better, faster, stronger, bigger and overall hardened by the hardships of life. I also realized that because of this, it would be easy to trick him.

There was a pause, and I smiled bitterly at him, "My mother is dead." I deadpanned emotionlessly.

He froze momentarily, eyes wide in horror at his own stupidity, before marching forward into the tall grass without another word. I had to praise myself. That certainly shut him up, didn't it? Before I followed, however, I stole one last look behind me, in the direction of my Pride's base. Xithoga might worry, but-- who cared what she thought? This was unlike me. I didn't see her as anything more than a fellow Pridemember, I didn't see her as a _friend_, certainly not. I pushed thoughts of her aside and followed Tojo.

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**A/N:** Here we go! The plot's definitely showing now! Yes, Zira will appear in the next chapter. And _yes_, this is Tojo from the _TLK_ comic _Tojo's Blue Birds_. I like Tojo. Review?


	8. Chapter 7: Piga Zira

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**Chapter Seven: Piga Zira**

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Piga zira, "striking hate."

I already knew quite well how it felt to hate,

But the hatred those two sisters had emanated still threw me for a loop.

I would say their names fit them well.

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"C'mon, slowpoke!" Tojo threw over his shoulder, smiling widely at me, but it faltered. I guess he was still berating himself over the whole _my-mother-is-dead-so-I-can't-ask-her _thing. I frowned at him with narrowed, annoyed yellow-orange-red eyes, which he either ignored or didn't see. He trudged through the grass as if he'd never heard the word _stalking_ before, while my paws, though large, landed on the ground without a sound. I barely even noticed I did it anymore, silence was second nature to me now.

Irritation prodded at me. Why was this taking so long? We've been moving for quite some time now, it was probably nearly noon. Was Tojo just playing me, leading me into some kind of trap? Did he know somehow of my and Scar's plans, and was trying to stop it? I don't know why he'd bother, he was just a cub, what could he do? …Then again, I was just a cub myself (I admit this grudgingly), and already I had helped decide the future of the Pridelands. But I was better, that didn't count.

"We're here!" I was pulled out of my thoughts as I nearly crashed into Tojo, who had stopped. We were at the top of a rolling hill. I almost snapped at him to tell me before stopping so suddenly like that, when I caught sight of the land before us. There were no trees in sight, just tall grass. I didn't even see a break in them, the grass was endless, not even an acacia tree anywhere in sight.

Tojo started walking forward again. "They told me to meet them here." He gestured his tail at the barren grassland before us.

He couldn't see my face, but I still bared my teeth at him as I took a hesitant step forward to follow, "And just where the hell _is_--" I fell. I can't really say it any way else, I just _fell_ face-first into a hole in the ground, hidden by fallen grass. I coughed and hacked, struggling to get the dirt and grass stems out of my system.

Tojo's mad guffawing could be heard from miles around. His birds chirped along with him as though laughing as well.

"Shut _up_!" I snarled, scrambling to my feet. I had to be out of whack today, I didn't make mistakes like this, it was simply not done. I was too advanced for this. I glared at Tojo. This was his fault.

_Because of course__ it's not __your__ fault._ A voice in my mind spat in disgust. I knew it was supposed to be me, but it sounded… different, than me, at the same time. It lacked the usual sharpness and venom I normally spoke with. Was this… my conscience? It had to be.

Another voice, darker and harsher (and sounding much more like I did), countered with, _Oh, shut up. What good are you, anyway?_ I paused, wondering what this one could be. The darkness in me, I supposed (stupidly corny as it sounded). Then I realized something else. _There's a… darkness… in me. Like Mowaki and Yekopa._ I wouldn't let that pass. I wasn't like them, I was _not_. So I shoved both of the voices away. The darkness was evil, and my conscience was weak. I shouldn't listen to either of them, I would do only what _I_ thought was right and justified, with no one else's input.

Thus, I unknowingly chose the darkness.

_Just because __you__ think it's right,_ my conscience told me in a subdued, worried voice, _doesn't mean it is._

_Shut up._ I retorted angrily. I blocked both of them out, unable to hear the insane, victorious laughter of my darkness.

The biggest-moron-in-Africa (also known as Tojo) didn't even respond to my fiery glare, something that both infuriated and intrigued me. Everyone else, even adults, had some kind of reaction to my spite, but not Tojo. He never flinched, never wavered. I hated it. It made me want to see him _break_, but I didn't know why. My paws had kicked away the fallen grass as I had gotten to my feet, exposing some dirt ground. I kept my eyes locked on Tojo, my claws slowly scraping against the ground (when had I unsheathed them?). My jaw set tightly, in either anger or anticipation for something, I didn't know.

Eventually, Tojo's laughter died down, and he wheezed, "Haha… oh, Roho Mtakatifu," my eye twitched as he used the Holy Spirit's African name as a curseword. I knew those things didn't exist, but if I didn't and I followed their "word" blindly like some fool, I wouldn't use it's name so carelessly like that. I would have thought it deserved respect. "That was the funniest thing I've ever seen… next to the time Simba came home _unbelievably_ filthy after saving a baby giraffe! _Hahaha_!" He had another short laughing fit, which ended much faster than before.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I spat, somehow annoyed by the very mention of Simba's name. I flexed my muscles, "Don't you think Piga and Zirwhatsit are wondering where you are right now?" I didn't have time for this, I needed to know who these two sisters were, and how they knew Scar.

Tojo chuckled. He laughed too much, I didn't like it. Not one bit. "'Zirwhatsit.'" He repeated to himself, "I like that." His blue eyes shined.

"I don't _care_ what you like," I yelled, frustrated. Why couldn't he just get on with it?! "Just lead me to--" I was cut off as Tojo suddenly spun around, darting off into the grass.

"_See ya later_, alligator!" His voice became more distant, the sound of his lumbering pawsteps becoming fainter with every word. For an idiot, he was fast.

I had had about enough. "_Screw you_, crocodile!" I howled, diving in after him. I had his scent, it was unbearably strong and undoubtedly _dirty_. Didn't his mother ever bathe him? Didn't _he_ ever clean himself? I supposed I was just thinking this way because I took better care of myself since I lived in a Pride full of females (and because my mother wasn't around to do it for me), the only other male being the King, so some of their feminine habits rubbed off onto me.

_Great Savannah, I hope I don't start babbling like they do too._

I could see flashes of Tojo's darkish fur in between the grass, vanishing as quickly as they came. I caught the traces of his scent, musky and dirty, before they were drowned out by the overwhelming smell of foliage.

Somewhere in front of me, I heard Tojo's taunting call, "What's taking you so long?!" His voice held a note to it that drove me absolutely insane. I could _hear_ the superior grin in his voice. I felt whatever thin patience I had left evaporate in the blink of an eye. My chest heaved, my heart pumped until it was roaring in my ears, and my thoughts became malicious. My train of thought should have alarmed me, but I was far too angry to think about it at all.

I wanted to claw the stupidity off his face until he squealed for mercy. In an instant I was afire with the need to hurt him, slash him, spill his guts, hear him scream and howl, bring the haunting awareness of mortality into his eyes, the realization that there were no Gods to save him, make him realize that he wasn't as immortal and great as he saw himself as.

My eyes flashed angrily, and instinctively I bared my sharp fangs out of frustration though no one could see. I pumped my legs faster, my muscular form darting through the grass at a speed I didn't even know I could reach. My mind was racing, and I realized with no real surprise that I hated Tojo, the obviously irresponsible, immature, ignorant, arrogant fool of a cub that this harsh world held no place for. He was older than me, and yet it was already painfully obvious who was better fitted and more deserving to survive.

_I'll catch him and I'll kill him._ Someone like that was better off dead. Flat-out fury and loathing for Tojo flooded my senses.

Everything became a blur. It was like I was in a red, bloodthirsty haze of a trance. One that I was half-awakened from after what felt like seconds later by a shaky, "Dude…?"

I blinked, suddenly realizing I wasn't running anymore, and there was a living creature underneath me about my size, just small enough to be unable to escape my grasp. I stared down at it. It's scruffy fur was fluffed out in alarm, it's blue eyes wide. I finally realized it was Tojo. Half of me wanted to continue whatever vicious act I apparently had been doing, while the other half was shocked to the core of the suddenness of it all.

I didn't move, instead I glanced at everything around us. We were in shorter grass now, grass that you could walk on without losing your footing. How long had I chased him? I dimly noticed that I wasn't even breathing heavily, barely tired at all, which puzzled me, since I knew I had been running incredibly fast just… how long _had it been_ since I zoned out?

My red-orange-yellow scorching, hate-filled gaze landed on Tojo again, the anger flaring back up in full-force as I saw no fear whatsoever in his blue eyes or face. He looked wide-eyed and slack-jawed. His birds had vanished. There was a twitching in my paws, begging to slice something open so I could watch the blood spill over the yellowed grass.

"My, my." A female voice cackled. I whirled around, snarling, searching for the source. "Such _hatred_."

Two obviously lioness figures stepped into view, and I was hit by a wave of the sudden knowledge of not one, but _two_ malevolent presences, more spiteful than anything I had ever experienced from my own emotions or even from Mowaki and Yekopa.

With a snort of contempt I didn't even try to hide, I growled, "Piga and Zira."

* * *

**A/N:** Well, wasn't that just spooky? x3 Spare a review or two?


	9. Chapter 8: Ikaine

**_Chapter Eight: Ikaine_**

* * *

__

Brothers.

They're supposed to be with each other through thick and thin.

I never really knew this,

Especially not after hearing Scar's story,

But then I met Ikaine,

Who spoke so fondly of his little brother.

_

* * *

_

"Mufasa, do you think he really is the right one for this?"

"I am positive."

"Sire, please don't take offense, but… _him_? This mere _cub_? Not to mention, he _is_ the one who plotted your death--"

"He believed it was right."

"…I know he did, your Highness, but it wasn't."

"In a sense, it was."

"How can you say that?! He pretty much _murdered_ you!"

"…"

"Sire?"

"Go find your little brother, Ikaine. He is calling for you."

"Itunya? Milord, he may be young, but he is safe. He does not need me to watch over him right now."

"You must always watch over your family, Ikaine. Look after your little brother until your last breath, love him, nurture him, teach him, and be there for him. I never got the chance."

"Mufasa--"

"I know what I am talking about, Ikaine. Have you forgotten why I was killed in the first place?"

"Sir, I don't--"

"Do it for me."

"…As you wish, your Highness."

* * *

Piga and Zira were two very peculiar looking lionesses. Zira's fur was short and gold, with a brown stripe starting from the back of her neck and ending at her forehead, her body was lanky, and her eyes were blood red. Piga's eyes were a mirror of Zira's, but she looked to be the opposite of Zira. Same lanky body and sharply-shaped nose, but she was brown with a gold stripe on her neck and head. They were sisters all right.

I didn't know how I knew which was which. I just _knew_. It was like this was meant to be, somehow. Something instinctual that I had been waiting for my whole life. I had to be delirious or something, because I knew that was impossible. I ignored the feeling.

They both studied me for a moment, and Piga smirked toothily, liking what she was seeing. Zira, however, whipped her head towards the temporarily forgotten cub among us. "What took you so long, Tojo?" she growled.

Tojo was unfazed, "Well, _sorry_. I didn't really anticipate being tackled to the ground by Kari over here." He gestured his tail towards me as he stood.

I bristled. That damn nickname _again_?

"Speakin' a' which," Tojo gave me a slight glare, "why in the hell _did_ you tackle me, anyway?"

I glowered at him, "Because you were _there_." I retorted sarcastically. Really, didn't he know how annoying he was?

Zira and Piga seemed pleased by my response, "Well, Tojo," Piga growled at him, her voice remarkably identical to Zira's, "you can go now." She told him simply.

Tojo's jaw went slack. "_What_? After all this, I'm supposed to just _go_?"

"Yes." The answer was simultaneous, coming from all three Piga, Zira and I.

Tojo gave a scowl that looked incredibly out of place on his usually cheerful face, "Thanks, guys. Thanks a lot." he muttered in a tone so bitterly sarcastic that it even caught me off-guard. He disappeared into the long grass.

I felt the sudden urge to go after him and apologize, then gave myself a mental smack. What was I thinking? I didn't _care_ about him; of course not. I was just being stupid.

Zira opened her mouth to speak.

"Hey! What's going on over here?"

"_Damn it_!" Zira snarled in anger at being interrupted, and Piga gave a low growl of annoyance, as did I. Couldn't we get a moment of peace?

A blue, purple-maned head popped out of the grass and grinned widely at us, purple eyes glittering.

"_Ikaine_." Piga hissed disdainfully. Zira bared her teeth at the newcomer. I felt as if I was missing something.

"Hey, hey!" Ikaine said cheerfully, practically skipping over to us. His fur was blue with a lighter underbody, his mane and eyes purple. His spiked mess of a mane draped over his face, even a bit over his nose, obscuring his left eye slightly. He was small for a lion, looking slender but still muscled, though not as much as you would normally expect a lion to be. Immediately, he looked at me. A flash of recognition flashed in his eyes that left me puzzled. We had never met before, at least not that I could ever remember, so why did he seem to recognize me? "Well, well! Who's the new guy?"

"I am Karibua." I answered stiffly.

Ikaine's grin seemed to grow wider at that for some reason, "Ah, I see. Cool name ya got there, Kari."

I seriously considered slashing this guy's grin right off his face.

Slumping down on his haunches, he began to say conversationally, "Hey, Kari," _Damn you!_ "got any siblings?"

I stared. What did that have to do with _anything_?

"Answer the question, please."

Slowly, I shook my head no.

He didn't really show it, but I could tell he knew this. "Well, I do. His name's Itunya, and he's my little brother. Same mother, same father, everything. We even look a lot alike."

Did he assume that I _gave a damn_?

"You see, he and I are kinda treated special in our Pride-- the same pride Piga and Zira belong to. Y'know why? 'Cuz I'm the Pride's Seer. I'm supposed to talk to the dead and predict certain things in the future that the stars want me to know."

Oh, Savannah. Not another religious nut. He probably just has freaky, demented nightmares and interprets them somehow as crazy predictions of the future.

_You make your own future._ I wanted to snap, but for some reason the words just wouldn't form in my throat.

"I love my little brother. Y'know _why_? Because I love him. Because he's my little brother, and that's what brothers are supposed to do: love each other. Without him, I'd be half the lion I am and he half the cub he is. We just _belong_." He leaned forward and said a bit forcefully, "_I would die for Itunya_."

Where the _hell_ is the going with this--

"As would Mufasa for his brother Scar, I'd imagine."

…

"I see." I responded smoothly, coolly. He knew. _By the love of the Savannah_, he _knew_! There was no other explanation. "Why are you telling me all this?"

Ikaine's grin dimmed to a knowing, gentle, yet somehow forced smile, "Because one of my other duties to my Pride is to keep _certain things_ from happening. Unfortunately, sometimes I'm too late…" he trailed off, sadness seeming to overtake him as his eyes raised to the sky, "…but I still do my best to keep _everything else_ from occurring." His purple gaze lowered down to me again. "There are many things in store for you, Karibua. Already, you have made many mistakes-- mistakes that were, in a way, meant to happen. Be careful where you tread from here on, Karibua of the Redeemed."

With that, he turned, and vanished into the grass, much like how Tojo did. I could only stare stupidly at the spot where he was only a few seconds ago. _Karibua of the Redeemed?_ What the hell? He couldn't actually see into my future, could he? …No, of course not. He's just a nut. That's all.

Piga and Zira looked just as bewildered as I did.

"That was… odd." I said at last, breaking the silence, I looked at them with burning eyes, now fully ready to let go of all the strange things that had happened today and just _get on with it_, "Now, why did you want to speak to me?"

Piga and Zira smiled almost evilly, and I almost cheered. I could feel it. A turning point in my life; it was inevitable.

* * *

"I fear I didn't try hard enough, sire."

"Nonsense, Ikaine."

"But, Mufasa--"

"No 'buts,' my boy. Someday, you will see, your words will come crashing back down on him, and he will realize just how foolish he had been."

"…I can only hope that you're right, milord."

* * *

**A/N:** I apologize for taking so long to update. I know the top introductions aren't the same as they usually are, but I couldn't get it to work at all, so I apologize for that too. Review?


	10. Chapter 9: Understand

_**Chapter Nine: Understand**_

* * *

_Understanding._

_That was something I had lacked for quite some time._

_I could not understand the warnings; the omens._

_I refused to._

_So, I vented my feelings-- whether I comprehended them truly or not-- in the worst way possible._

_Violence._

* * *

"Scar told us about you." Zira began simply. Her twisted smile sparkled even in the darkening light of the setting sun.

I was unaffected. Mostly, anyway. "Did he now?" I replied coolly.

She chuckled. "I see. He wasn't kidding when he said you seemed quite smart for your age." Her blood-red eyes gleamed. "Do you know the legend of cubs born with smart minds?" Her voice was a low hiss, but not one of hatred. She seemed intrigued more than anything.

"No." I answered honestly. No one really bothered to teach me these things back in Shadow. Speaking of which… wouldn't Xithoga and the others be wondering where I am by now? Not that I care, but Yekopa might cause some fuss about it. I should make sure this goes quickly and smoothly.

Piga explained for me, "Legends says, 'Cubs born with a higher intelligence and understanding than the norm are destined for great things.' Do you believe in that, Karibua?"

It seemed like a rhetorical question, but I still shook my head no.

She looked surprised. "You… don't?"

I never did tell Scar about my lack of 'faith,' now did I? How unlike me, to forget something like that. I suppose I was too busy thinking about the fact that I had just told the King's brother to murder the ruler-- and Prince-- of the Pridelands.

"Never have, never will." My voice lacked all emotion, and I think I surprised myself a little.

She hesitated, then, "Hmm." Her red eyes, just like Zira's, filled with a contemplative cloudiness and Piga said no more.

Zira shot her sister an odd look but said nothing of it, "Well," she glanced at Piga again, "we will respect your… beliefs--" I resisted the urge to give a sarcastic snort. _Beliefs_. "--but we _and_ Scar still believe that you are meant for a great number of things, Karibua of the Shadow Pride." Must she insist on using my full name?

Piga frowned. "How is he supposed to carry out these supposed _things_ if he does not even believe in them, sister?"

Zira responded in that hissing voice of hers, "They will happen either way. Life has it's ways, higher-power or not, my sister." _Though we know better than he._ She added though it went unspoken. It was like I could read the thoughts from the disdainful look in her eye upon the discovery of my… _state-of-mind_, I bet she would call it.

It's not a mental problem, it's logical sense. I just wished I could find someone who thought the same thing.

As if I had never said anything, Piga continued, and I found myself wanting to growl at Zira's suddenly patronizing stare, "You were able to come up with a genius plan to off the King and Prince, and it worked flawlessly."

I nodded. Of course it would work-- wait.

"_It's already been carried out_?!" I shrieked, too electrified to care about how high my voice got, leaping up out of sheer shock. I had not heard anything of the sort! Surely the news would have spread like wildfire across all of the Pridelands?!

"Just this morning," Zira answered with a toothy grin. "King Mufasa and Prince Simba are dead; killed in a stampede of wildebeest in the gorge. Scar used his hyena allies to aid him. That's why Scar sent us here, actually; to tell you. He's going to announce it at sundown."

I digested all of this.

_Mufasa and Simba are dead._

_I made the plan. I practically killed them._

_Scar is the only one able to be King as of now._

_The hyenas are on his side._

_I killed King Mufasa and Prince Simba._

_I killed Mufasa and Simba…_

_I killed the King and Prince…_

_I killed Tojo's friend…_

My thoughts-- which had for some reason become somewhat hysterical near the end-- stopped abruptly at the last line in confusion. Where had that come from? What did I care about Tojo? Nothing, that's what.

Absolutely nothing.

Approval shining past the superior gleam in her eyes, Zira purred, "You must be feeling proud of yourself."

"Of course _[not]_. Why would _[you should]_ I feel anything different about my success?" I replied thickly. I could not understand what I was feeling. It was as if the memory of how regret, guilt and pretty much every other emotion besides hatred and hostility was draining out of me. My thoughts were frazzled and my heart was numb.

I could not understand my thoughts. I could not understand _myself_ at the moment.

_[Understand why we're trying to change your path, Karibua of the Redeemed.]_

_No. I don't understand. I don't!_

That's the same thing I thought when Mom and I returned to the Shadow Pride-- to Mowaki's madness… to all of this… whatever it was…

I gave a small shudder, but the cause of it is still unknown. Perhaps it was just the mere memory of my mother's bloodied corpse laying before me. How broken she had looked and sounded when Mowaki abused her.

Maybe it was something else. Something I had grown too numb to feel anymore.

Suddenly I felt the urge to leave. To go. Just to _go_-- somewhere. Get the hell away from this strange sisterly duo and take out my… whatever I was feeling on something.

Or some_one_.

"Is that all?" I asked without even the slightest glimmer of emotion.

Zira blinked, taken aback for a second. "Well, yes, but we were hoping we could get to kn--"

"You got your hopes up, then." And I was gone, leaping off into the grass, insides to chaotic to realize that I didn't quite know where I was going. All the tall grass looked the same, I would never be able to find my way back to my Pride.

Not without guidance.

I would find Tojo, the fool, later.

Now… now I had to do something.

I had to _hurt_ something.

I ran until I could no longer hear Piga and Zira's shouts for me.

* * *

It wasn't until I reached a river that I stopped, panting and my heart beating so fast that I was convinced it would explode any second.

Adrenaline pulsed through me, as well as raging, homicidal, bloody _animosity_.

I was on the grassy side of the river, and I could clearly see the land on the other side.

The Outlands. Great Savannah, how far had I run?

I realized I didn't care.

I realized that I was clearly on River Pride territory. Far into it. I was actually at the river that gave the Pride it's name. The River Pride was pretty close to the Royal Pride, and in the distance I could see the tiniest brown dot that I could only assume was the famous Priderock.

Farther down along the river must be their Pride base, for surely they cannot be so close to the Royal Pridelands without problems…

I found myself darting down the riverbank, suddenly hellbent on finding this Pride.

I wasn't quite sure why just yet. All I knew was that my claws were unsheathed and my eyes were wide and murderous.

"_I loved you, Mowaki…"_ My mother's broken voice whispered, as clear as the day I had heard it.

"_I wanted to ask you if you could defeat him and become the new King of my Pride!" I blurted._

_He stared at me, stunned. I was afraid he was going to decline when he smirked in a way that vaguely reminded me of Mowaki, but I paid it no mind. Surely no lion could be worse than him? "Take me to your Pride, boy. My name is Yekopa."_

_If I had known the laws of Pridelife, I never would have brought him here. If I had known new Kings were supposed to kill the cubs that were born during the previous reign, I never would have even considered it. _

_But I didn't know, and I would pay for it. Because as soon as the light faded from Mowaki's eyes, Yekopa stepped off him and took a swipe at the cub nearest him._

_Xithoga._

Tears flowed down my cheeks.

_[You killed them, Karibua. Just like Yekopa killed your mother Aria and Xithoga's mother Sorake. It's all your fault and you'll never be forgiven and never be given the chance to repent never redeemed--]_

Tears flowed down my cheeks. What was wrong with me? Why am I crying? Why am I feeling so indecipherable? What was that voice-- that voice that sounded like-- sounded like Mu-Mufasa? How--? I've never even met him-- _[You didn't even know him and yet you murdered both his son and he?]_ That voice… sounded like I-Ikaine-- so-so-sounded like F-F-F-Fate-- _I'm losing my mind--_

And there they were.

The River Pride lions. I vaguely noted that Tojo was not among them.

I thought I felt a small twinge of relief at that, but I shunned it. Whether he is here or not for what I'm about to do makes no difference to me.

There were ten of them, probably a couple more, all together, relaxing in the same pile.

One lioness took notice of my presence-- which wasn't too hard to do considering how I blundered in like a clumsy idiot-- and raised her head, whispering anxiously into the ear of one of her Pridesisters, who also lifted her head to gaze curiously at me.

A savage grin spread across my face, and for a while I forgot my troubles, the red haze from before overpowering me once again.

It was bliss.

* * *

**A/N:** Hoo boy… I haven't updated in a while have I? I'm sorry… review?


	11. Chapter 10: He Will Live

**Chapter Ten: He Will Live**

* * *

_I couldn't kill Itunya._

_I didn't care if he was of no use to me--_

_Itunya would live._

* * *

I couldn't do it.

I could kill all the others, but not him. I could not stop seeing my mother in his wide, terrified purple eyes, that still held that surreal knowing, _knowing_ that he would die and there was nothing to stop it.

The same thing my mother had known. The same thing I had known; I had known she would die, I had been there, I had seen Sorake and Wazakhol die...

Ikaine's little brother will not die this day. He is traumatized; he won't remember this. Not that _I_ did it, anyway.

Itunya will live.

* * *

There was a flurry of movement around me as Zira, Piga and even Tojo rushed to me.

"Karibua! _Itunya_!" Tojo cried in horror, dashing at us. Itunya, unconscious, lay sprawled across my back. He was a little thing, blue fur, purple eyes and tailtuft. He didn't even have the beginnings of a mane, yet.

Just a bit roughly, Piga took Itunya's weight off me and placed him on the ground, and gave him a short sniff. "He's not hurt," she declared, "none of the blood is his." Something in her expression twitched at that but she said nothing more. She narrowed her eyes at me, however.

"What _happened_?" Zira demanded in a snarl.

"I found him… like this." I lied. "The rest of the Pride… they're…" I took a gulp as if bracing myself, but the truth was I had something in my teeth and swallowed it. "They're all dead, murdered. Many were dead when I got there and the ones that were still alive are probably dead by now. But… but I didn't see Ikaine anywhere." At least that wasn't a lie. We were up the river, far enough away from the River Pride's base so that it looked like I really _had_ just stumbled in on the carnage. They knew I couldn't navigate my way in these treeless, markless lands, it was believable enough.

Zira looked thunderstruck and Tojo didn't seem much better. Piga's jaw dropped, and I could have sworn her eyes grew glassy-- but she quickly avoided my gaze. Suddenly, she swung her head around back and me and roared, "_How do we know you didn't do this_?!"

…Smart lioness. Though, I did have some wounds on me. I couldn't have expected to fight an entire Pride without getting some wounds in return. But they were all in places that weren't that easy to spot. Piga was obviously very observant.

Tojo stared at her as if she were insane, and I couldn't help but feel the slightest bit impressed by how strong he sounded, even though he had just learned his family had been killed, "Are you crazy?! Karibua… I admit he's strong but he's not… he couldn't kill an entire Pride!" He exclaimed.

_No, I couldn't. _I thought, glancing at Itunya. _Not every single one. Not unless I went stark-raving mad. But not even that could make me do it._

"You know he nearly _killed_ you earlier!"

Tojo blinked, "What? _That_? He just tackled me to the ground! I mean, I _can_ get annoying sometimes so I don't really _blame_ him--"

Piga elongated in a growl, "_He_. _Was_. _Going_. _To_. _Kill_. _You_." She seemed particularly upset by this. I guess she cared more about Tojo than she let on.

Zira rounded on her sister, hissing quietly so Tojo would not hear (though I strained my own ears to hear), "Enough of this! Scar trusts him so we should as well!"

Piga growled back in the same low tone, "You're always doing everything _Scar_ says--"

"As should you!" Zira spat.

Piga opened her mouth to retort something, but she closed it a second later. She said nothing but it was clear-- at least, to me-- the message in her eyes, _Maybe I shouldn't anymore_.

An alarmed Tojo interjected, sensing the hostility, "Guys! We can't fight amongst ourselves right now! We have to get Itunya and _ourselves_ somewhere safe, in case _what_-- not _who_--ever did this comes back!" He paused and added, "And we should find Ikaine."

There was a silence, before Piga (gently, this time) lifted Itunya by his scruff, with Zira determinedly leading the way (she declared she had found some of Ikaine's scent earlier), while refusing to even look at her sister.

We had to return Itunya to his big brother.

* * *

We'd only been traveling for fifteen minutes at the least when a high-pitched voice cut through the air, "_Kariiiiii_!" It was a bit distant but there was no mistaking it.

_Great Savannah, please don't let it be--_ It was of no use. Not that the Savannah would've listened to me anyway.

"_Kariiiii_buuuuaaaaaa!" A great yellow blur launched out of the grass around us, and the wind was knocked out of me as I was barreled into from my right flank.

I couldn't hold in a groan as I shook my head to clear it. I opened my eyes to see a pair of orange ones staring down at me. "Xithoga." I grumbled.

She grinned down at me. "Pinned ya!"

"So you did." I shot back crossly.

"Where have you _been_ I've been so worried I thought we were _friends_ Yekopa's getting really mad at you for disappearing so much lately Ukatib's been teaching me a lot of hunting stuff you won't believe what you've been missing and guess what Tara's pregnant it's Yekopa's I know he doesn't deserve the pleasure of being a father but still you can't help but feel happy for Tara you know she's always wanted a cub and now she's gonna have one I wonder what he'll look like hopefully nothing like Yekopa ew…" The young lioness babbled.

She will never leave me be will she. That was rhetorical.

Tojo looked thoroughly weirded out. "Uh, dude…? You know her?"

"Her name is Xithoga." I grunted, straining my neck to look at the blue-eyed young lion. "We belong in the same Pride. Shadow, but you know that." I glared at Xithoga, "How did you find me?"

She actually looked surprised, "Karibua, it's easy to track stuff in this grass!"

I hesitated, "No it isn't."

"Yes it is! All you gotta do is focus on the scent you're looking for. Y'know, ignore the grass-smell." She insisted.

"It is impossible to do anything in this damn tallgrass." I told her.

"Nuh-uh!" Pause. "And you shouldn't curse like that!"

"It is." I retorted, ignoring her last comment.

She made a exaggerated scoffing sound. "Pfft. Just because _you_ can't do it doesn't mean everyone _else_ can't." That was exactly what it meant, thank you.

Tojo was wheezing with laughter. "I like this girl!"

* * *

And moments later, after much argument...

"She's not coming with us." I deadpanned.

"But she's fun!" Tojo whined.

"She's daft." Zira cut in. Piga wisely chose not to say anything in our debate. Itunya was still unconscious.

Xithoga raised her scruffish, yet still somehow feminine eyebrows, "Um… you do know I'm right here, right?"

We ignored her. "She'll hold us back. Send her back to Shadow. I'll escort her myself if I must." I vowed. However, as soon as I said _Shadow_ something came crashing back to me. I was supposed to _rule_ Shadow. I had told Scar it was my destiny to overthrow Yekopa. I of course still wanted revenge for my mother's murder, but no longer did I really care about leading the Shadow Pride.

I don't know what made the change. It used to be of the utmost priority to me, and now…

Funny how goals change as you grow.

But Yekopa would still die, that much was certain.

Xithoga looked more than a little hurt at my words. I ignored the tiny pang in my chest as Tojo said, "_How_ will she hold us back? Obviously she's a good tracker-- hey, hey! Maybe we can create our own Pride!" He shouted out the last part. Piga swept her tail across his mouth; he was too loud.

"Of course not," Zira scoffed, "We're going to Scar."

The muscles in Piga's tail tightened around the darkish young lion's mouth and Tojo coughed a bit. His blue eyes were wide as he stared up at Piga, obviously wondering why she was _still_ keeping him quiet. The brown tuft of fur on his tailtip was puffed up, and so was the rapidly spreading beginnings of the mane around his head.

There was also the pinkness of a blush creeping through his darkish fur-- no easy feat. Being so near Piga must've been affecting him.

I wondered what kind of inherited bloodlines this guy had to have to look so naturally comical.

Xithoga tilted her head in confusion, "Scar? That creep who's King of he Royal Pride now?"

Zira looked offended at this. Piga's expression did not change.

Spluttering as he finally wrenched Piga's tail off him, Tojo agreed, "Yeah! Why should we go to _him_?"

I could almost see Zira's mind thinking fast, "Scar is the Royal King now, and as such, he has the authority to find out whoever did this to our Pride." Something flickered in her eyes as she said the last part, something dangerously close to grief, but she pushed seemed to push it away. "As you know, the Royal Pride has more power, more resources, connections and _power_--"

Tojo interrupted, "You already said 'power.'"

"--to get the job done, and get it done _right_." Zira ignored Tojo. "They supervise all the lesser Prides, if you will. They live differently than us. Lions and lionesses can only have one mate in the Royal Pride, and do not… _necessarily_ have to kill off the cubs born during the former King's reign."

My first thought was, _Clever_.

I stiffened as the meaning of Zira's words dawned on me.

They didn't have to-- _what_?! Why didn't _all_ the Prides have that rule?! This could have all been avoided--!

_No use crying over spilt blood._ A silky voice I did not recognize hissed in my ear.

For reasons I did not know (I seemed to be unknowing of a lot of things lately), I listened to it. _No use._ I agreed.

Xithoga looked as stricken as I felt. "W-what?" She whimpered, but Zira didn't seem to notice her distress. That or she didn't care.

The tan-gold lioness was staring down at her intensely, studying her. "You have the looks of an Outlander." She said at last.

Xithoga's brows furrowed together, "A whatlander?"

How stupid could she-- I'm not even going to comment. _How_ many times had Ukatib told us about the-- geez.

Zira snarled at her and Xithoga flinched back, "An _Out_lander, stupid girl!" Her red eyes were alight with fury. "I carry their blood in my veins, and you look as if you do too!"

"I… do?" I think Xithoga believed she had become a parrot.

"_Yes_!" Zira exclaimed in exasperation, baffled by the yellow she-cub's stupidity.

"Whoa, whoa, there, Zirwhatsit!" Tojo said, stepping between the two females. If possible, Zira seemed to grow angrier at the nickname (that_ I _had actually come up with a few hours before.). "No need to go off on 'er like that!"

There was a tense pause, and Zira, looking as if she would like nothing more than to snap the birdkeeper's neck (where were his birds now anyway?), hissed maliciously, "Shouldn't you be mourning for our Pride, Tojo?"

Even I knew that had been the wrong thing to say.

Tojo froze, mouth dropping open. His tail drooped until it hit the ground and his shoulders slumped. A horrible, dawning look appeared in his sky-blue eyes, which suddenly didn't look so bright. It was then that I realized he had been blatantly ignorant of the fact that his family was dead, and the reality of the situation had just crashed down on him because of Zira's words.

Piga bristled at her sister, who pointedly ignored her very existence. "How _dare_ you--"

Then Itunya woke up, stirring and mumbling quietly in his sleep, and I too felt my own shoulders slump; but this time with relieved tension.

All eyes landed on him, and all went silent. Time seemed to freeze.

_Itunya will live._

He will live to see his brother again.

* * *

**A/N:** I think my writer's block is finally wearing off! Review, guys, to show you're still with me? Won't blame you if you're not.


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